Unfading Flower
by sappheiros
Summary: While on her way to Heart Castle, Alice seems to keep hearing bells ringing. Deciding Vivaldi can wait a little longer, she decides to take a detour first and soon finds herself in a garden with...strange talking flowers?
1. The Talking Garden

**Hi everyone! This is my first time making something for Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice, so I hope you all enjoy it. I haven't played the game, but I've read the manga, a few blogs, forums, and discussions here and there and a lot of fanfics. Hopefully, that'll be good enough for all fellow readers and authors out there. So, enjoy!**

**I do not own Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice, Alice in Wonderland, Through the Looking Glass and any other stuff related to this wonderful story/otome game/manga **TT^TT** (well…except for my own character). **

**But I love it all the same. **~

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><p>"Dialogue"<br>"_Alice's thoughts"  
><em>'_Flower's Dialogue'  
><em>"_**Black's Dialogue**_"

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<br>**

"…"

"…Hit me."

"As you wish young lady." White Joker replied. "_**You should come down to the f***ing prison instead, bi***. That way we can really hit you f***ing har**_—"

White had covered Black's mask on his side. "Manners Black, manners. We mustn't say such vulgar words in front of the little miss." White flipped over a card onto Alice's side of the table. Apparently, it was the _Queen of Diamonds_. Alice dropped her head onto to the table with a loud _thud_.

White took the liberty of peering at her two original cards: an _eight club _and a _six diamond_. Add that with the _Queen of Diamonds _and you get a total of twenty-four. Obviously, Alice was broke. Black was heard snickering through the mask.

"Would you like another round of _'Black Jack'_?_" _White offered the foreigner, a smirk playing on his lips. The maiden raised her head from the table and took a deep breath.

"Yes, please. This'll be the last one for today. If I don't win…I suppose I'll try again tomorrow." White smiled.

"Very well."

"_**You're gonna f***ing lose this one again bi***.**_" White shuffled then passed the cards. As soon as Alice looked at her two cards, a wide grin spread across her face.

"Ha! Black Jack!" The foreigner flipped over her cards to reveal a _King_ and _Ace of Spades_.

"**…**_**Damn f***.**_"

"Hm, I suppose that means you win. Now, milady, which season would you prefer?" asked White with a hand on his chin. After eight tries, Alice had finally beaten him. The ringmaster had to admire her tenacity.

"_**Man, White…you suck**_," stated Black. Alice smiled. She turned to the ringmaster who rolled his visible eye at his twin's remark.

"I'd like you to turn the season to Spring." White smiled in response and snapped his fingers. The previous season had been winter. Tired of the cold, Alice decided to switch to a season that was slightly warmer. Besides, Vivaldi had sent an invitation to her for a tea party in her "secret room". She couldn't turn that offer down for two particular reasons. It was nice to get out of Clover Tower once in a while, and she really looked up to Vivaldi. Vivaldi was strong, independent, kind, and treated Alice like a little sister. Another reason was Vivaldi's tendency to order executions. It wasn't really proven that the Queen of Hearts would behead all the servants unless she saw Alice, but there was no way Alice would take that chance. As Alice readied herself to leave Joker Forest, a sound caught her ear. _"Was that a bell?"_

"Did any of you—" Alice had trailed off when her eyes met the Jokers. White had looked off into the distance, a bored expression set on his face. Black was surprisingly quiet for once. The silence didn't last long.

"So she's finally awake is she?"

"_**Great. Now the f***ing brat's here. As if it wasn't enough dealing with the f***ing w****.**_"

"Um, what are you two—" Alice started. White had finally turned his head toward her and gave a gentle smile.

"It's nothing for you to be worried about. I suppose you're off to visit Heart Castle? Best not make the hag of a queen wait so long." White said as he placed his hands on her shoulder and gently pushed her toward the exit.

"_**Yeah, and make sure your card skills improve next time you come over because you f***ing suck.**_" Black stated.

Alice rolled her eyes. "I'll see you guys some other time then." White waved her receding figure goodbye as Alice waved back in return.

* * *

><p>As our favorite foreigner made her way to Heart Castle, she heard that same peculiar sound yet again. <em>"Really, why do I keep hearing bells? Boris always tries to sneak into Heart Castle, but I know he doesn't have a bell on his collar, so it can't be him, right?"<em> Alice stopped her tracks when she came to a fork in her path.

"Strange, I don't remember seeing _this_ path before. It reminds me of the time when I first met the Jokers…I suppose Vivaldi will just have to wait a little longer," the foreigner decided as she took the path away from Heart Castle.

Alice had planned on leaving Joker Forest at around noon or mid-afternoon. She managed to beat White at noontime, so she still had a lot of time left before she visited Vivaldi. Luckily, the transition between day and night wasn't as random as when she first came to Wonderland. Julius _did _mention that during April Season, it's not time that changes but the seasons. Time seemed to work just as it did in her world, but then again, she wouldn't be able to visit everyone as frequently as she wanted. Fortunately, her skills in card games seemed to be improving…but not by very much.

Along the way, Alice couldn't shake off the peculiarity of the current path she was on. It twisted and curved around so much, it seemed more like she was following the path of a cork screw. Much to her advantage, there was a sort of hill up ahead that served as a guide to our favorite foreigner. But as she proceeded along, the sound of bells seemed to be getting louder with each stride.

Finally, she reached a large and beautiful garden with a giant willow tree at its center. The ringing seemed to have stopped. However, Alice paid no mind to it and looked around in awe at the garden before her. "Wow. I don't think I've ever seen these many kinds of flowers in one garden before. Blood's rose garden is impressive, but this is just beautiful," the foreigner sighed. Indeed there was a vast variety of flowers, ranging from tiger-lilies, roses, violets, orchids, daisies and so much more. Near the willow tree seemed to be a row of various herbs.

'_Now what do we have here? She doesn't look like the other Roleholders. Perhaps she is another kind of flower?'_

'_Don't be ridiculous. She obviously isn't a Roleholder, despite her having a face. And if she _were_ a flower, which I doubt, she's not a very pretty one now is she? Compared to me, she wouldn't stand a chance.'_

'_Orchid, you are as vain as ever. Obviously, _you_ can't see the true beauty to which this one possesses. Her color seems right, although her petals seem to be curling a bit. Do you think young Amaranta has met her yet?'_

Alice whipped her head to the source of the voices. It seemed very odd, for it seemed like the _flowers _were talking. Flowers didn't talk. If they did, then Blood's and Vivaldi's roses should've talked at some point during her previous visits. Then again, this _was _Wonderland. She knew she shouldn't be so surprised anymore. Nonetheless, she blinked twice to ensure she wasn't hallucinating. When she knew her head wasn't playing tricks on her, she finally spoke up.

"Um, did you all just…talk?" she asked the flowers.

'_Well, of course we can talk child. All flowers can,'_ spoke the tiger-lily.

"It's making them shut up that is the tricky part."

Alice turned her head to the new voice. This one was obviously not a flower. However, it did seem to fit in with the rest of the garden. Before Alice stood a little girl, which looked no more than seven years of age. If she were to stand next to the foreigner, she would only reach Alice's waist. The girl had short, messy, spring green hair that ended at the back of her neck. Her bangs were neater and parted in the middle while her fringes framed her small round face. In her hair were two clips shaped like cherry blossoms propped on both sides of her head. At the center of each cherry blossom clip was a small bell. Two small, red ribbons flowed from each of the clips, with a tiny bell at the ends as well.

"_So that explains the ringing_._"_

The little girl wore a long-sleeved white polo. Both sleeves were puffed slightly and had tight cuffs. She wore a red silk ascot on her collar with a cherry blossom brooch at the central knot. Unsurprisingly, there was a small bell at the center of the flower. As for the bottom half of the little girl's outfit, she wore black suspender shorts that ended one inch above the knee. Beneath those shorts, she wore white knee socks with dark brown silver-buckled shoes.

The little girl stared blankly at the foreigner with wide, curious eyes. She cocked her head to the side as she studied Alice. It was then that Alice noticed the girl had pink colored eyes. In normal circumstances Alice would have thought that it was rather strange, but it was quite adorable nonetheless. Teal eyes clashed with pink, staring at each other unblinkingly. Then the little girl quickly shut her eyes and began to rub them.

"Oww. Aw, you win!" the little girl stated.

"…Huh?" Alice was dumbfounded. She didn't remember playing a game with the girl. Although, she _has_ been dragged into numerous games since she came to Wonderland.

"We were playing a staring contest. I had to blink first, so that means you won!" the little girl stated as a matter of fact.

"Oh, I guess I did win," Alice smiled, amused by the girl's antics. "By the way, forgive me for not introducing myself. My name is Alice Liddell. What's your name?"

"I'm Amaranta, but since I've immediately taken a liking to you, I'd really like it if you'd call me Ama-chan!" the girl, Amaranta, had said with a wide grin plastered on her face. The grin disappeared as soon as it came. She looked at Alice quizzically, and blinked. "Alice-onee-sama…are you by any chance a foreigner?"

"Yes, I am," Alice answered. She _really_ hoped this wouldn't turn into an awkward moment.

"I see…that's cool!" Amaranta stated, yet another childish grin back on her face. "My 'role' here in Wonderland is to tend to these flowers...well, among other things, so I may be known as 'the Gardener'. So what brings you to the Talking Garden?"

"The Talking Garden? Ah, so this is your territory, isn't it?" Amaranta nodded. "Well, I was on my way to Heart Castle, but then I came across this path. I've never seen this territory before, so would you mind answering a few questions?"

"Ask away Alice-onee-sama!"

"Um, right. Well, first of all, why haven't I seen you and your territory until now?" Alice asked.

"Huh? Oh! Well, I've been asleep for the whole time. By the looks of things, I'd say I've been asleep for five years," she explained as she looked around. "It's Spring, right? Does that mean you beat the Jokers?"

"Y-yeah. Wait, so you've been sleeping since you were two? Where are your parents!"

"W-what are you talking about? I wasn't two! I was seven when I went to sleep and I'm seven now. Or I could be seven and a half? Hey, did I grow taller?"

'_No child, you haven't grown a bit,' _said a daisy. Just then all the other daisies started joining in.

"Silence! If you daisies don't stop, I'll pick all of you! I mean it," Amaranta warned them. Most of the colorful daisies had turned white from the threat. Alice sweat dropped. This little girl certainly was amusing in a way, albeit easily distracted.

'_The daisies are the worst of all. When one starts talking, they all begin together. It was of some relief to not have anyone to talk to all this time; otherwise they would all start babbling and shouting again. They know I can't get to them and so they insist on their mindless chatter!' _the tiger-lily had swayed a little and whispered into Alice's ear.

"Darn," the girl turned back to the outsider. "Oh, and my parents died a _long_ time ago." Amaranta waved it off as if it were no big deal. Alice's eyes softened at that last part. Alice didn't cry at her mother's funeral, but she had an idea of what it was like to not have your parents with you. Her little sister clearly hated her and with their father buried in work, the only person she could turn to was her older sister, Lorina. However, that happiness was short-lived. But ever since the stalker rabbit kidnapped her and brought her down the hole, she felt…happy again. Despite all the senseless killing, violence, etc. that is. Realization brought her back to the girl before her.

"Wait, how could you not age at all?" Alice tilted her head to the side in confusion.

"Mm…I think it'll be easier if the other Roleholders explained it to you. You can ask the flowers, but they won't be of much help." A couple of coughs were heard throughout the garden.

"About that…_how_ can they talk? The tiger-lily over there said that all flowers can, but the roses in Blood's and Vivaldi's garden don't say anything at all." Alice pointed out.

"Oh, well, the answer that you're looking for is right underneath you. Feel the ground." Alice proceeded to do as the girl had said. She crouched down and laid her palm on the soil. It felt different compared to other gardens.

"The flower beds are much harder compared to the other gardens I've been to. But what does that have to do with the flowers talking?"

"It's just as you said, _'The flower beds here are harder compared to other gardens_'. Because the flower beds in most gardens are soft, the flowers are always asleep." Amaranta explained with her finger pointed upwards. It made sense, but at the same time it didn't. Alice decided that it seemed logical. After all, the flowers before her were talking and almost anything this strange could make sense in this strange land. "The flower beds must've become hard while I've been asleep, so I assume they've been talking for a long time. You all must feel so tired now."

'_Not at all deary. It seemed amusing to be awake and talking again,' _said the violet.

'_Yes; however, this conversation wouldn't have started if this young lady hadn't said the first word,' _explained the rose.

Alice had shot Amaranta a questioning look. "Oh, the flowers won't talk unless someone _else_ starts the conversation." Alice nodded at the girl's explanation.

"Would all of you like to go back to sleep?" Amaranta had turned back to her garden. Nods and various sounds of agreement resounded throughout the whole area. The young girl then turned to face the outsider.

"I know you said that you were heading to Heart Castle, but do you think you can help me soften up the soil before you go? That is, if you don't mind." Amaranta asked as she looked down to her feet. _"She looks so adorable! How can I refuse?"_

Alice gently took hold of the girl's chin and raised the girl's head. She offered her a small smile. "On one condition: I'd like you to accompany me in visiting the other territories, if _you_ don't mind…Ama-chan."

Amaranta's eyes sparkled. "Deal!"

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><p><strong>Yeah, my original plan was to make this a one-chapter story. I was planning to make this one an introductory for my OC and then make sequels, but I guess I'm gonna have to put this into multiple chapters. After this I plan to create other stories and sequels with Amaranta in it. Although this is my decision, I would REALLY appreciate all your lovely reviews. And I'd like to explain a few more things.<strong>

*The Talking Flowers are obviously from "_Through the Looking Glass_". I know there is no such thing as 'the Gardener' in Lewis Carroll's story, but the game has both original and 'based-off-of' characters in it so I thought, why not? Look at Julius. He's an original by QuinRose, but can possibly be based off a Time. Ace is possibly based off of the Knave of Hearts. For Joker…I got no clue on who he/they're based off of. Besides, if Amaranta really _were_ to be one of the flowers, how is she to walk around? _Someone's_ gonna have to make the flowers shut up, especially the daisies.

…if any of you like daisies, I mean no offense. I am just going along with what Lewis Carroll wrote in "_Through the Looking Glass_", chapter 2: The Garden of Live Flowers. Yes, I did research and am proud of it.

**So again, I ask all of you…****PLEASE REVIEW****! THEY WILL BE MUCH APPRECIATED! AND IT'LL GIVE ME THE DRIVE TO CONTINUE! :)**


	2. Onwards to Heart Castle!

**I'm really glad to be working on this. I've already gotten a couple of reviews, so I'm very happy with this story so far. Anyway, this story is mainly on Humor and Friendship since it centers on Alice and Amaranta. If I have the inspiration to create more sequels, I'll put those with slight romance as it will shift to the other male Roleholders (although they will still have Amaranta in them). **

**And for those of you who wish to see how Amaranta looks like, go to my profile to see her. It's only a ROUGH IDEA of how'd she'd look though. Just imagine her outfit and the clips with bells in her hair, but remember that her hairstyle is right. This is NOT my drawing. I went to a website and played a dress-up game so I'd be able to visualize my character better. The details are in my profile. So again, enjoy!**

**I do not own Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice, Alice in Wonderland, Through the Looking Glass and any other stuff related to this wonderful story/otome game/manga **TT^TT** (well…except for my own character). **

**But I love it all the same. **~

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><p>"Dialogue"<br>"_Thoughts" _unless described otherwise  
>'Flower Dialogue in Flashback'<em><br>Flashback_

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><p><em><span>Recap:<span>_

_Alice gently took hold of the girl's chin and raised the girl's head. She offered her a small smile. "On one condition: I'd like you to accompany me in visiting the other territories, if you don't mind…Ama-chan."_

_Amaranta's eyes sparkled. "Deal!"  
><em>

**Chapter 2  
><strong>

"Are you ready?" Alice called over to the giant willow tree. They had finished softening the flower beds just a few minutes ago. It wasn't very hard to do, but it _did_ take about an hour to accomplish. It was a large garden, after all…and the fact that all the flowers had something to complain about. Alice never would have thought that flowers could be so…disagreeable.

_**Flashback…**_

"_So, how are we going to soften the flower beds? Do you plan on putting a bit of sand?" Alice asked as she put some garden gloves on._

"_No, the flowers wouldn't like it. We'll just have to water the ground a bit and use the trowel and garden rake to shake up the packed soil. We have to do it around the plants, otherwise we might disturb their roots," Amaranta turned to her flowers. "If we come a little too close for comfort, tell us immediately okay?"_

_The flowers nodded, or more of swayed in agreement. The two then proceeded with the task at hand. It really wasn't so hard. To Alice, it felt more like tucking a person in bed. But never had she tried to tuck in a person so difficult._

…

'You can stop right there, um…Alice was it? You're much too close.'

"_What are you talking about? I'm three feet away from you!"_

'…Your point?'

…

'Amaranta deary, the bed is still too hard. Are you sure you're even shaking up the soil?'

…

'The bed is already soft enough!' 'Yes, it is soft! Oh, don't you feel like sleeping already?' _All the daisies piped up._

"_Not soft enough…" Alice mumbled._

"_You all just want to keep talking don't you? Where are my garden scissors?" Amaranta seethed._

…

"_Is everyone comfy enough?" the Gardener asked tiredly._

'Well my bed could be a little sof—'

"_Good. It's time to go to sleep now…" Alice looked at the little girl, curious as to what she would do next. Amaranta took off her clips and held them out so the bells dangled slightly. She gently shook them and to Alice's surprise, the sound was different and much louder compared to before. Each chime seemed to resonate throughout the entire garden. It reminded her of church bells, but sweeter and higher pitched. It was almost as if the sounds contained a hidden message. She didn't know what the message was exactly, but Alice felt…calm. She closed her eyes and listened. The ringing stopped and she opened her eyes again, only to find the flowers asleep and a smiling Amaranta staring at her. She smiled in return._

…_**End of Flashback**_

"Just a sec!" A few sounds could be heard from within the trunk of the willow tree. It was safe to assume that that was where Amaranta resided. A minute later, the girl came rushing out of a door at the trunk's base. On her back she carried a plush turtle made to be like some sort of backpack.

"Who's your little friend?"

The young girl grinned proudly. "This is Hachi! Hachi's both my toy and my bag. See?" She pointed to the small green straps. "The straps are detachable and you can put almost anything you want into the shell."

"I see. But…is Hachi a boy or a girl?"

"Hachi is Hachi. Besides, I don't know how to tell a boy turtle from a girl turtle."

"Right," Alice smiled, yet again amused by the girl's character. Ah, the innocence of a child. "So, shall we go?"

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><p>Along the way to Heart Castle, Alice couldn't help but ask. "Those bells that you wear in your hair and on your ascot, do they always make the flowers go to sleep?"<p>

"You can say that. You see, the sound made by these bells creates a sort of lullaby. It can calm them down, but it'll only make them sleep if they're relaxed enough." Alice nodded in understanding. "Forgive me for staring at you before, but you looked so calm. You're the first _real_ person to be affected by these bells."

"Really?"

"Yup! But I'm glad. I now know what to do if ever you're in a bad mood."

"_I wonder if it's because I'm a foreigner. Nonetheless, it's sweet of her to say such things." _Alice thought to herself. In a few more minutes, they finally arrived at the Heart Castle's maze. It didn't take long for Alice to find the Queen of Hearts, due to her many visits.

"Ah, Alice. We are glad to see that you made it to our tea party, and with much time left before sunset no less." Vivaldi greeted her. It was then that she noticed a head of green hair standing next to the foreigner. "We see that you have awakened. How was your slumber, young Gardener?" Vivaldi smiled.

"It was—"

"AAALLLIIIICCCCEEE~!" In a red and white blur, the Prime Minister had successfully managed to bear-hug the surprised foreigner. She was so sure that he was away doing work. How is it that he always managed to find her? He truly was a stalker in her eyes. Peter was too engrossed in cuddling his object of affections that he didn't notice the little girl staring at the two with questioning eyes. Meanwhile, the Queen was rubbing her temples, already feeling a migraine starting to form due to the man's interference.

"Rabbit-san?" Surprised at the familiar (yet unwanted) nickname, the White Rabbit turned to glare at the new voice that '_actually had the gall to interrupt his moment with _his_ Alice_'.

"Oh…it's just you. Can't you see I'm busy?" With Peter momentarily distracted, Alice was able to break free of his grasp and sock him in the jaw. "Why, my love?" he asked as he rubbed his now swollen and reddening cheek.

"Peter…" Alice seethed. Amaranta continued to look at the two. A light bulb finally clicked in her mind as she snapped her fingers. The adults turned to her. She looked at Peter, who in turn looked back, confused as to what the little girl wanted with him.

"So Alice-onee-sama is the girl you've been waiting for!"

Alice was utterly shocked. Amaranta had told her that she'd been asleep for five years, but if the child knew of Peter's affections (more of obsession) for her, then that would mean Peter had been waiting for Alice all that time! It was even possible that he had been waiting longer than that. Alice was unsure of whether to be flattered or crept out by such devotion. One thing was for sure; his constant proclamations of love weren't just hollow words.

"White, proceed to your paper work now or it's off with your head!" Vivaldi had ordered.

"As if I'd surrender my time with my Alice!" Peter stated. "Nothing will keep me away from her; not even you, you old hag!"

"Why you insolent—"

"I like rabbits who work hard," Alice had intervened.

"As you wish, Your Majesty." With that, the Prime Minister had bowed and left the maze, proceeding towards the castle. All three females looked at each other before cracking a smile.

"To ensure that nothing interrupts our little gathering, we declare that our tea party be moved to our 'secret room'," Vivaldi decided. "We would be most pleased if you decided to join us, young Amaranta."

"I would like that very much, Vivaldi-sama."

_In Vivaldi's secret room…_

"We see that you have brought Hachi with you. It is good to see that Hachi will have a chance to make new friends. So tell us Alice, how did you come to find Ama-chan?"

Alice set down her tea to answer. "I was on my way to visit you, but I came across a fork in my path. I'm sorry; curiosity got the better of me."

"It is quite alright. We are happy to have another female in our presence. There is already too much testosterone defiling our air as we speak." The monarch said, with a scowl planted firmly on her features.

Amaranta had looked away from her cake to look up at the monarch and her new friend. "Excuse me, but what's _'stostestrone'? _

The older females quickly went back to their tea right after answering simultaneously, "When you're older." The child merely shrugged and went back to eating. Alice glanced over at the child and then did a double take. She looked…different.

"Ama-chan…your hair is pink."

"Hm? Oh, I was wondering when it would do that. You see during April season, my hair tends to change color in accordance with the seasons. It only changes when I'm in the season's rightful territory though. If I were to visit the Amusement Park in _this_ season, my hair would revert back to its original color. I don't know why it does that."

"We do not mind. This way, you match our blossoms perfectly. We really do wish to someday keep both you and Alice in our collection." Alice sweat dropped at the Queen's desire.

Sunset had arrived and it was then that Amaranta decided to head back to her home. Both Alice and Vivaldi insisted that she stay for the night, but the child stated that she cannot leave her garden alone. Alice was still not convinced. It was only when Vivaldi had agreed to the girl's reassurance that she can take care of herself that Alice finally let it go. After she left, Alice remembered something.

"That's right. Ama-chan had told me that she was seven when she went to sleep and that she's seven…or seven and a half, now. She said that any of the Roleholders would be able to explain."

Vivaldi looked Alice straight in the eye and gave her a small smile. "That is true. You see, Ama-chan's name means _'unfading'_. We are not certain of how she came to be or who had named her, but she as a person is characteristic to that of her namesake: the amaranths. Amaranths, as you know, symbolize immortality and youth. Even if you cut off or pluck an amaranth from its roots, it still retains its color for a long period of time. That explains why she is so young after all these years. She was a Roleholder even before we had received a face and _'role'_. The plant itself has also been known to make cures. We suppose this holds true in your world as well?" Alice nodded. Vivaldi continued. "This is another reason as to why she is known as a _'medic'_ in Wonderland, as well as for her collection of herbs."

"Youth and immortality…she's immortal, in a way, but not invincible right?"

"Correct. No one can cheat death. However, if she were to acquire whatever wound that would be severe to us, she would be able to heal faster than anyone. You would never know if she were hurt. Unfortunately, it shortens her lifespan by a great deal. A 'flower' can only take so much. The only way she would die instantaneously is if she were to be injured straight through her clock." Alice's eyes had saddened at that thought. Perhaps it was a bad idea to even ask that question at all. Her sadness did not go unnoticed by Vivaldi. "Worry not dear Alice. She is much more capable than she appears to be. We are certain of it." That assurance was enough to make Alice smile.

* * *

><p>Blood…the stench of it all was thick in the air. There was so much of it splattered around; you'd think that the ground was actually of a red color. A cloaked figure with a lage sack slung onto its back was seen walking away from a vast amount of lifeless bodies, dragging a blood-stained sword behind it. Suddenly the figure stopped.<p>

"If you're trying to hide, then it's completely useless. Those bells that you wear aren't meant for stealth." At just that moment, a smaller figure appeared into view.

"Knight."

"Brat," Ace acknowledged.

"What makes you think I was hiding?" The knight shrugged. The smaller figure continued. "You left quite a trail of dead faceless."

"And how would you know that it was my doing, Ama-chan?"

"Don't you dare call me that!" Amararanta spat. "The slashes on the bodies and a few decapitations show that it was obviously done by a blade. I've heard that Gray's assassin days are over, so it couldn't be him. The man isn't reckless enough to slash just about anyone in his way. Besides, only an idiot wouldn't believe that you were the culprit, judging by all the blood stains on your cloak."

"Hm, I guess you got me. ~" Ace grinned. "Ama-chan is so smart for a child."

"Tch. You haven't changed at all, have you? I see you're still trying to escape your role."

"And what if I am? It's not like I asked for it," the knight shrugged.

"I don't see why you hate it so much, but whether you like it or not, you should suck it up and get on with life." Every second talking with this idiot was becoming unbearable.

"You're one to talk. On the surface, you seem content. But we all know that deep down, you're as lonely as ever, right? How's it feel, to live so long and watch everyone and everything disappear before your very eyes? Don't you just want it to change? Haven't you had enough?" He asked, all the while with a goofy smile plastered onto his face. The man was mocking her! He wouldn't understand. But even so, there was nothing she could do. Those were the rules of the "game". Everyone had to live their role, until the very last tick. Yet no matter what, the idiot before her wouldn't accept it. Satisfied that he hit a nerve, Ace moved on to another subject. "So have you met Alice?"

"Yes. She's a wonderful person," Amaranta said in a quiet voice. Ace nodded.

"Yup, that's how it is with foreigners. Everyone will love her. To tell you the truth, it sometimes makes me a little jealous."

"Hmph. The love that we all share for Alice is different. Vivaldi and I love Alice as our very own sister. I bet all of you _males_ just want to hug and kiss her!" she accused, arms crossed with a pout on her face.

"Well, I don't know about the others, but I'd certainly like to do _more_ with her. But seeing that everyone else seems to love her, killing her would make it much more fun!" Ace laughed.

"Don't you dare touch her! Raise that sword at her and I swear to you I'll—"

"What? You'll do what? Five years ago, you could've done something, but it shows that you've become soft. You could tell just by looking at her that Alice values life, right?" She narrowed her eyes at him. "Hm, I remember having a similar conversation with the kitty cat. Whoever Alice meets seems to eventually change. I've been with her longer than you, so why haven't I?"

"…Because you never seem to be satisfied."

"Maybe, but you shouldn't have to worry your little flowery head. I won't kill her. If I did, then I wouldn't be able to hear her heartbeat anymore."

"...If everyone loves her, then I suppose it'd be safe to assume Julius-san has some interest in her as well?"

"Well, he _is_ letting her stay in the Clock Tower." Ace recalled.

"If you kill Alice, Julius might become sad." Ace merely smiled at the girl's statement.

"I'll keep that in mind. Well, good night Ama-chan!" Her left eye twitched. "I can't camp out tonight. Julius needs these clocks as soon as possible. See you around!"

"You're not gonna try and kill me?"

"Nah, it's too troublesome." With that said, the Knight of Hearts proceeded on his way towards the Clock Tower…or at least that's what he thought.

"Knight!"

"Hm?" He turned his head back.

"You're going the wrong way. Turn left and keep heading straight."

"Oh, right! Just to let you know, your way of thinking and doing things have changed a bit…but you're still just a child."

…

"…Idiot."

* * *

><p><strong>This chapter came out longer that I expected, but I don't mind. I hope you guys enjoyed this though. Next stop would be Joker Forest and the Amusement Park! I'm visiting each territory the same way the seasons change: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and then Winter. Until next time! Please review! It'll be very much appreciated, whether it's good, bad, or just friendly advice. :)<strong>


	3. Beep and Splash Time Fun!

**If you read in the last chapter that Ama-chan's hair tends to change color in accordance with the seasons, then I just wanted to say that I'll be changing my profile pic from time to time to show her different hair colors. This is just a heads up though, if any of you are curious about her. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter!**

**I do not own Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice, Alice in Wonderland, Through the Looking Glass and any other stuff related to this wonderful story/otome game/manga **TT^TT** (well…except for my own character). **

**But I love it all the same. **~

* * *

><p>"Dialogue"<br>"_Thoughts" _unless described otherwise  
>"<em><strong>Black's Dialogue<strong>_"

_Recap:_

"_You're going the wrong way. Turn left and keep heading straight."_

"_Oh, right! Just to let you know, your way of thinking and doing things have changed a bit…but you're still just a child."_

…

"…_Idiot."_

**Chapter 3**

"Will you be leaving now?" the Queen of Hearts asked her guest.

"Yes. Ama-chan and I made a deal that we'd visit all the territories together, at least to let everyone know she's here."

"Oh? We know that you are telling the truth, but we cannot help but feel that there may be another reason," the monarch smirked knowingly.

"Well…ever since from two nights ago, I've been wondering what other colors would her hair change to when we go through the other territories." Alice said sheepishly. Just like with all the other Roleholders, there was still much about the girl that Alice did not understand.

"We understand. Stay safe and be sure to visit again as soon as you can. You know where to find us," Vivaldi said as she gave a goodbye kiss to Alice's forehead then gently pushed her towards the exit. Luckily for the foreigner, Peter was still occupied with his paperwork.

…

No. She wouldn't take any more chances. As soon as she stepped out of the castle's door, Alice ran as fast as she could towards the Talking Garden.

* * *

><p>As the corkscrew path came to an end, Alice immediately recognized the little girl already beginning to clip the bells back into her hair. The flowers were asleep yet again. The sound of her footsteps made the child turn around.<p>

"Alice-onee-sama!" Amaranta giggled as she ran up to hug her.

"Good morning Ama-chan. What are you doing this early?" Alice asked as she in turn hugged back.

"I needed to make the flowers go to sleep again. I have to do this at least once every day. The flower beds harden quickly."

"Is that so?" The girl nodded. "I suppose that if they were to sleep for so long, then this place wouldn't be known as the Talking Garden." It was still so strange to see that these flowers were very much like people. They'd sleep, wake up, and then sleep again. "When would they wake up again?"

"I made sure to make the beds extra soft, that way they'd be sleeping for the whole day! So, where are you going now?"

"I plan on heading to the Jokers'. I'd like to change the season to summer this time. After that, I'm going to the Amusement Park. You still have to follow me, remember?"

"Does that mean we're going to the swimming pool?" The foreigner nodded. "Alright! I'll have to bring Hachi along to carry my towel and clothes. If you'd like, you can come in," the girl invited her. Alice accepted. Come to think of it, she never really got to see the inside of the giant willow tree before. She remembered reading a children's book when she was younger that had talking animals in it. They lived in tree trunks, as most woodland creatures did, but the inside contained things that most humans had: furniture, beds, closets and sometimes even a stove! Everything still had a natural look to it though. It was a tree, so of course almost everything was made of wood. As Alice followed the girl inside her home, she was…speechless.

Perhaps it was a bad idea to even compare a woodland creature's home to the one before her. She couldn't quite understand it, but everything _inside_ the house looked very much like the houses in all the other territories. The walls were smooth and curved much like the outside. A spiral staircase in the center lead to the rooms above and there was a small kitchen and dining room to the right. On the left was a living room filled with velvet furniture and a bookshelf propped up against the wall. She was surprised to see that the floors were tiled in a chessboard pattern. Wouldn't that disturb the tree's roots? But the strangest of all was how the willow tree could even stand. She expected the inside to be hollow, but not by this much! The…house…was very spacious and the walls were thick enough, but surely that couldn't support the entire tree? How did the willow manage to look so healthy all this time if the inside was so hollow? It was at that moment that Amaranta came down, with Hachi on her back.

"Um, Ama-chan? Your house is very impressive…but how does the tree even stand? If we're standing inside the trunk, then wouldn't the tree be very hollow?" Alice asked, determined to find an explanation. Surely not every answer could be resolved with: _'This _is _Wonderland, after all.'_

"What do you mean onee-sama? We're not _inside _the tree. We're under it." Amaranta explained, sounding as if that statement answered everything.

"…Huh?"

"The outside of this house is made to _look_ like the bottom half of the tree. In actuality, the tree's roots are on the top floor. The ceiling and walls are very sturdy, so there's no need to worry about the house or the tree crumbling down. I always go up there to water the roots or just climb."

"So when you think about it, the tree is much smaller than it looks from the outside," Alice realized.

"Yup! So, are we heading out now?"

* * *

><p>When the two reached Joker Forest, it suddenly dissolved into the Prison Realm. Both Jokers stood before the two; White smiling, Black scowling.<p>

"Hello Alice. I suppose you're here to play another game? We're going to have to make this quick. The circus is about to open." White greeted.

"_**Looks like you brought the f***ing brat too."**_

"Joker." Amaranta greeted.

"Y**e**_**s**_**?**" both Jokers replied. Alice decided to interfere before things became confusing.

"If it'll help, you can call the ringmaster Joker, White, and the prison guard Joker, Black."

Amaranta nodded in understanding. "Did you decide to call them that based on their personalities?"

Both jokers turned to face the foreigner with questioning faces. "…Aha…maybe?"

"Hm. Remember onee-sama, a Joker is still a Joker…regardless of color," the child said as she looked straight in the Jokers' eyes. They merely stared back with smirks on their faces.

"So, Alice, shall we begin? What game would it be today?"

"Poker."

…

"_**Hey you little brat! Stay on the b****'s side of the table!**_"

…

"Ama-chan, your hair is black now."

…

"Two queens, a king, six, and a ten."

"Sorry Alice, but it seems that I have a full house: three jacks and two fours."

…

"Can I play?"

"_**What would be the point? It's not like **_**you**_** can change the f***ing season.**_"

…

"I have a 'flush'. What about you, young lady?"

"Heh. I have a 'straight'." Alice said proudly.

"Does that mean onee-sama wins?"

"_**What do you think, you f***ing brat? Alright, choose the g** d*** season already you m*****f***ing w****.**_"

Alice glared at the man and turned to his twin. "I'd like you to change it to summer." White nodded and snapped his fingers. Both parties were getting ready to head their separate ways, but were suddenly stopped when Amaranta broke the silence.

"Hey, I've been wondering this ever since we got here." All the adults turned to her. "What does f***, b****, m*****f***, g** d***, and w**** mean?"

Needless to say, all of them were shocked. Even the prisoners stopped all their noise and complaints. The little girl continued, "Wait! Is m*****f*** f***'s mommy?" Alice was horrified! She'd overlooked the fact that Ama-chan was still a child. White's eyes were wide and Black's mouth hung open.

"_**I would've been laughing right now, but coming from you…it just sounds so…wrong.**_" White nodded at his twin's comment.

"For Amaranta's sake, I think it'd be best for you both to be on your way now." White suggested.

"I completely agree."

"Hey! C'mon what do those words mean? Are they just words to make sentences sound better? Like: 'Alice-onee-sama is the nicest f***ing person I've ever met!' Or, 'White-san and Black-san are the m*****f***ing prison guards'. Is that how they're used?" Amaranta persisted, somehow coating such unholy words with pure innocence.

"_**Those sound about right…but at the same time it's still wrong.**_"

Alice stepped towards the girl and placed her hands on her shoulders. "Ama-chan…"

"Yes?"

"Never say those words again." Alice shushed the girl as she was about to protest. "Don't even ask what those words mean, and don't ask me why. Just...stop."

"…Fine."

"_This is the last time I bring her with me to the Jokers._" Alice thought.

* * *

><p>The two finally reached the Amusement Park, but had been blasted in the face by Boris' water gun as he was trying to chase Pierce again.<p>

"Ha! Gotcha, ya stupid rat! Oh, hey Alice! Sorry 'bout that…Hm?" Boris stared at the two before him, both drenched in water. He then realized the little girl standing next to his female friend. "So you _are_ awake."

"Ah! Alice~!" Pierce cried as he clung to Alice. "Help me!"

"Oh no you don't!" Boris shouted as he grabbed Pierce by the collar. It was an endless game of cat and mouse. As the two girls proceeded to dry themselves, Gowland appeared behind them.

"Alice! Glad to see you're back. It looks like you brought Ama-chan with you too." Gowland said as he walked towards them. Like Boris, he wore shorts to beat the summer heat, but wore a flowery buttoned-up shirt. "As a welcome back surprise, I'll play you a song!" Gowland then took out his ukulele. Alice, Boris, and Pierce paled visibly. Meanwhile, Amaranta had eyes gleaming with interest.

"I didn't know you could play an instrument!"

"_He really can't,_" was the thought that filled the other three's heads.

"I started a little while after you went to sleep. Well, I hope you enjoy!"

"No, wait sto—!" It was too late. Alice, Boris, and Pierce immediately covered their ears to try and save their sense of hearing. Amaranta just stared at the man, a small smile on her face. On the violin, all the notes (if you can call it that) that Gowland produced sounded _worse_ that nails on a chalkboard. When he played on the ukulele…it was a different story. It was a wonder how something could sound so…horrible. Yes, it's possible for someone to not know how to play, but this was too much. Gowland was able to make the ukulele produce sounds that it _wasn't_ _supposed to_ and _couldn't even _make, and it wasn't a compliment. After a minute, the torture stopped and the three released their ears. All of them turned to the little girl who managed to survive the _'song'_, and awaited her answer.

"Hey onee-samas…I think my ears are bleeding." And so, they rushed her to the infirmary.

After Ama-chan was healed (the doctors didn't have to do much), the two females made their way to the changing tents to change into their swimsuits. Alice came out wearing a navy blue two-piece with her hair tied up in a ponytail. It was always so convenient how the Amusement Park could provide swimsuits, towels, and a lot of other things for their customers. Amaranta had taken off her clips and was wearing a mint green one piece with a small skirt attached to it. Her hair had changed color yet again. It was a golden color and matched the season that they were currently in, perfectly.

Alice jumped into the water next to Pierce and Boris. Boris kept shooting Pierce in the ear while Alice watched them, amused at the fact that this was a constant occurrence. Even if she _could_ stop them, what would be the point? It'll just start over again. Gowland was standing next to a barbeque grill flipping over a few burgers. Hachi was left on the side of the pool with all of their other things and Amaranta waded in the shallow end, clinging onto her white inner tube. Alice noticed and tried to call her over.

"C'mon Ama-chan. You can come closer if you want. Boris won't shoot you, I'll make sure of it," she said as she glared at the Cheshire cat who looked away sheepishly.

"Um…I'm fine here."

"What's wrong? You seemed so excited in coming here."

"Oh! Yes I do like it, but I'm more comfortable in the shallow area. You see…I, uh, can't swim," the girl admitted sadly. Boris stopped shooting Pierce as all the older members looked at each other. Just then, the cat and dormouse disappeared into the water. After a few seconds they resurfaced behind the little girl and gently pushed her towards the foreigner.

"Ah! W-wait! C'mon, this isn't funny!" Amaranta cried as she clung onto her tube for dear life. The two of them ignored her protests and kept swimming towards Alice. Gowland went back to his burgers, a smile on his face. Ah, kids.

"What's the point of holding onto that tube if you're not gonna use it properly?" Boris asked.

"Yeah, Ama-chan. As long as you hold onto that, you can go anywhere in the pool!" Pierce supplied. They finally reached Alice and she held onto the girl with a gentle smile on her face.

"Look at Pierce and Boris. At first I thought that they were supposed to hate water, but they're actually very good swimmers. Just because you can't swim doesn't mean you can't have any fun. Since we're here, we might as well enjoy ourselves, right?"

Amaranta smiled, relaxed by Alice's presence. "Right!"

"Besides, even if you _did_ drown, it's not like we won't be able to save you."

"…"

"…I'm going back to the shallow part," the girl stated as she kicked furiously away from them, all the while clutching onto the tube.

"Boris!"

**And that's the end of chapter three! At first I was planning on making the Hatter family appear, but I decided against it. They're just going to have to wait for the next chapter. Yeah, Ama-chan may have been around for a long time, but she's still a child. I think it's funny, but at the same time I feel kinda bad for making her say all those things. Surprisingly, even Black thinks it's wrong! Did I make him OC? If I did then I AM SOO SORRY! **

**The pool time would've been more fun, but Boris just scared the poor girl. It was unintentional, really. Save for Alice and Vivaldi (and possibly Gray? Later chapter though), most of them don't really know how to handle kids. Well, they tried their best. It was nice of them to help her out. And for once, the cat and mouse didn't fight! Although Boris **_**did **_**try to drown Pierce after Ama-chan made it back to the shallow end. That made her get out of the pool and never go back in for the rest of the day! Ahaha! Next stop, Hatter Mansion!**

**Please review! :) It's that little button right below.**


	4. Mad Tea Party

…**I cannot express how sorry I really am, but I'll try anyway…I'M SORRY! I've been busy with school, but I haven't given up on my stories! Anyway, this is the second-to-last chapter for this story…UNLESS I feel like writing a special chapter at the end. Well, enjoy the visit to the Hatter mafia!**

**I do not own Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice, Alice in Wonderland, Through the Looking Glass and any other stuff related to this wonderful story/otome game/manga **TT^TT** (well…except for my own character). **

**But I love it all the same. **~

* * *

><p>"Dialogue"<p>

"_Thoughts" _unless described otherwise

'_Flower's Dialogue – regular time'_

_Recap:_

"_Besides, even if you _did _drown, it's not like we won't be able to save you." _

"…"

"…_I'm going back to the shallow part," the girl stated as she kicked furiously away from them, all the while clutching onto the tube._

"_Boris!" _

**Chapter 4**

"I'm sorry you had to go through all that Ama-chan," sighed Alice. They just left the Amusement Park and were heading back to the Garden by mid-afternoon. Today was…eventful, for lack of a better word.

"No, it's fine. I got to spend the day with you, so I'm glad," Amaranta smiled.

_**Flashback…**_

"_Boris!"_

"…_Ahaha," the Cheshire laughed nervously. It couldn't be helped. Ama-chan had finally reached the shallow part of the pool. No matter how much Alice could reassure her, it was obvious that the little girl wouldn't be moving from her spot. Sighing in defeat, and a little bit of guilt, Alice continued to splash around with Boris and Pierce. _

_Everything had been proceeding smoothly. They all got out of the pool to eat whatever Gowland had cooked up and were enjoying themselves. After much scolding from Alice to wait one hour before going back in, the Cheshire Cat and the Dormouse finally conceded and did as they were told. Once the hour was over, they all jumped back in and went to their respective spots. Alice decided to play with Ama-chan in the shallow end while Boris continued to shoot Pierce with water. _

"_Ah! Alice! Help me, chu~!" Pierce cried as he waded over to Alice. The insomniac finally reached the two girls and started to cling on to the foreigner for fear of his life. Boris wanted the same attention and clung onto Alice as well…after dunking Pierce into the water. This had undoubtedly frightened the little girl enough to get out of the pool…and never go back in for the rest of the day. Who could blame her?_

…_**End of Flashback**_

**Alice's POV**

"So, what do you plan on doing now? We already finished our visit to the Amusement Park and it's a little late to change the season now." I doubt I'd allow Ama-chan to follow me to the Jokers' again…not after today's incident. There are still some things that she shouldn't know. Unless it's an 'event', going back to the Circus and Prison Realm is a big no-no for Ama-chan. I suppressed a sigh at the memory as I looked at the girl walking next to me.

"Well, all the flowers are asleep now." She had a thoughtful expression on her face as she stretched up her hands and put them at the back of her head. I would've thought she'd be more jumpy, what with the traumatic experience at the pool earlier. She continued on. "It'll be too dark by the time you reach the Clock Tower onee-sama, so why don't you sleep over at my house?" She faced me with that cheeky grin of hers. How could I possibly say no?

"I'd like that very much." The corkscrew path came to an end and the Garden was in sight. I'm still amazed on how strong the house is. I've heard of gardens on the rooftop, but having an entire tree on the roof is another story! Ama-chan and I laid our belongings on the couch in the living room then made our way into the kitchen. The sun was already setting, coating the room in a warm, pink glow. Her blonde hair had already reverted back to its spring green color. I watched as the little girl hustled around the kitchen, taking out all the necessary ingredients to start supper. I decided to join her; after all, I can't have her do all the work now that there's someone here who can help her.

"What are you planning to make?" She looked up at me with those pink eyes of hers and smiled.

"I'm making chowder! The pool water felt good in the hot sun, but it's going to get a little chilly tonight."

"All right then. Mind if I help?" I asked, already tying a kitchen apron to my waist. I know it seems redundant, but my usual apron is not for kitchen purposes; therefore, I find the need to tie another one over it. I glance over at a staring Amaranta, sensing that she feels the same way for my need of another apron.

"Not at all! Besides, I'm sure the food will taste much better now that the two of us are making it."

* * *

><p>Ama-chan had spare clothes for me. She even insisted that I wear a nightgown instead of just taking my apron off to go to sleep. She said it would wrinkle my dress if I went to sleep in it. For a seven year old, she stands firm in her words. Either that or she's just stubborn. I giggle as I change into a long sleeved, peach, silk nightgown. Ama-chan had taken the liberty of picking up my blue dress and apron and proceeded to the laundry room downstairs. I find it amazing to realize just how much she likes to keep things prim, proper, and clean, and yet have her short green hair so messy…save for her bangs. When she finally came back up, she wore a yellow nightgown with puffed short sleeves.<p>

The bedrooms were in the upper floor of the house and there were guest bedrooms too. Ama-chan wanted to share one of her 'special' rooms with me and when we went inside, I was glad that she gave me such an offer. We left the door open so that the room would be more properly ventilated. The room had a queen sized bed and its walls were made out of glass. Part of the willow tree's branches and leaves cloaked the room, but we were still able to see part of the night sky. Even though the walls were made out of glass, and obviously transparent, the tree gave us security and privacy. That wasn't what amazed me the most. As we sat on the bed together, fireflies started flying by on the other side of the glass, one by one until about a hundred or so were lighting the other sides of the room. It was truly breath-taking.

"Besides the rooftop where the willow tree is planted, this is my favorite place in the entire house. Except in late autumn and winter, the fireflies come here every night. When I stay here, I feel like I'm floating in the night sky with all the stars, yet I'm still here in my garden." Ama-chan told me softly. She had a dreamy look in her eyes. As I stared at all of the fireflies around me, I understood what she meant. The fireflies were simply wonderful. It was like you were in a dream.

I realized that she truly cared for her garden and felt she couldn't abandon it, yet she loved the stars as well…and perhaps the idea of being free. Did every Roleholder not like their role? When I think about it, I realize that Ama-chan has been around for quite a long time. I wonder if she had accepted her role at this point. Most likely yes, but maybe it was because she found something that was close enough to what she really wanted. Close enough was good enough for her. I looked to my side and saw that Ama-chan had already fallen asleep. It wasn't too long before sleep overcame me as well.

* * *

><p><strong>Normal POV<strong>

It was at the break of dawn when the foreigner decided to leave for Joker Forest. She didn't know exactly how long it would take her to win a card game with the Jokers. Yes, she finally admitted that she really wasn't getting anywhere. She was improving at a snail's pace. _"How pathetic…"_, she moaned to herself. Anyhow, with her plan of departing early, she was surprised to see the young Gardener up and about. And cooking bacon and cheese omelets nonetheless!

"Morning onee-sama!" the girl greeted brightly. Alice returned a smile at the girl and sat herself at the table.

"Are you always up this early?"

"Yup! Mama used to say that I can get taller if I sleep, but Papa said I won't get any taller if I sleep more than needed." The little girl set the plates onto the table and sat herself opposite of Alice. "Are you heading to the Jokers' again?"

"Yes, I am. I'm planning on changing the season to Autumn. Boris mentioned that the Hatter Mansion is going to have a Halloween tea party, so changing the season seems appropriate. I heard most of the other Role holders are going to be there." Alice took a bite of her omelet. Once she swallowed, she continued, "I don't know how long it'll take for me to win against the Jokers, so that's pretty much why I want to leave early."

"…Yeah, you're not very good in card games." An invisible arrow shot itself into Alice's back. _"She's brutally honest and straightforward!"_

"Ahaha, but I'm improving aren't I?" Alice scratched her cheek. Ama-chan just stared at her blankly with those pink eyes of hers. Alice sweat-dropped at the awkward silence and later hung her head in defeat. It was one of those awkward silences where no words needed to be uttered.

"Well…at least you're able to win…after a number of tries." Alice raised her head in hope. "I have absolutely no luck in card games, whatsoever. I mean, even if you have skill, you'd need the luck to help you win right?" Amaranta said as she avoided eye contact with the older female.

"Don't tell me," Alice started. "You've never won a game of cards?"

Amaranta stabbed the remainder of her omelet and stuffed it into her mouth. She lowered her head as she chewed, which took much longer than it _should _have been. Her bangs covered her face, but Alice knew the girl was as red as a tomato. The foreigner coughed to change the subject. "Um…well, as I said, I'm heading out to the Jokers this early not only for…playing cards…but also so we could use the rest of the day for getting costumes. The tea party _is_ going to be held at night after all."

"Well, alright then. I'll start decorating a bit. Would it be scary if I made the flowers look carnivorous? Or should I just take out the giant Venus Fly Trap?"

"Uh…as long as no one gets hurt, I suppose it'll be okay."

* * *

><p>By ten o'clock, Alice had beaten the Jokers and returned to the Garden to take Amaranta shopping with her. Apparently, the young gardener had decided to go with both of her decorating ideas. The vast and beautiful garden was turned into a jungle-like death trap. If Alice had not been acquainted with the other flowers, there was no telling what could have happened to her! It was unnerving at how the Venus Fly Traps seemed to twitch at her every movement. There was no doubt in Alice's mind that Ama-chan had a green thumb, or hand for that matter; the Fly Traps were huge! But that was beside the point. After finally making her way to the willow tree (which was thankfully, NOT surrounded by any dangerous plants), she took the young girl by the hand and proceeded to head into town.<p>

"Bye Vinny! Bye Fifi! Bye Terry!" Ama-chan waved excitedly to her garden as they reached the border of her territory.

"Who's Vinny, Fifi, and Terry, Ama-chan?" Alice asked the young girl. As Alice glanced back to the garden, the Venus Flay Traps snapped in response. They seemed to almost…smile. Alice shook her head and shuddered at the monstrous overgrowths. "On second thought, I think I already know."

* * *

><p>The two made their way into a shop filled with a variety of costumes. The costumes ranged from witches to angels, werewolves to pumpkin outfits, fairies to assassins, and almost anything that you could imagine. <em>"Blood's tea party will most likely start at midnight, so that gives us the whole day to look for the right costume."<em> Alice thought. She turned her head to her green-haired friend. Amaranta seemed to have an intense look on her face as she stared at a pink frilly dress in front of her. Her eyes darkened as her staring continued.

"Ama-chan?"

"…Why is it so pink?"

"Huh?"

"That dress…it's so…PINK. There are too many frills and laces!"

"Well, I'm sure you'd look very cute in it." Alice mused.

"There is absolutely no way of getting me in…THAT, onee-sama." The young girl's voice seemed to get lower.

"Hm, you know, your hair turns _pink_ when it's spring. Vivaldi's cherry blossoms are _pink_. Some of _your_ flowers are _pink_. What seems to be the problem?"

"With all due respect onee-sama, all of those things are _natural_. This monstrosity before me must have been hand crafted by a witch! Look at those frills and laces! Its purpose is most likely to strangle and constrict little girls who dare wear it!"

"Ahem." A faceless old woman coughed. Alice and her companion turned to look at the elder woman behind them. "Surely I am not the _'witch' _you speak of my pretties?" She smiled good-naturedly, but there was something in the air around her that spoke of the temptation to kick them out or not.

"Oh, you know how children are this time of the year! They can be so paranoid! What with all the monsters of Halloween lurking around. Ahahaha." Alice abruptly changed the subject and pulled Ama-chan behind her. The elderly faceless nodded her head and swiftly turned on her heel to assist other clients.

"Onee-sama, I fear she may have been possessed while she was making that gown of evil; that poor, sweet old lady."

Alice sighed. "Why don't we look for another costume then?"

Finding a costume took a shorter amount of time than Alice expected. In the end, Alice chose to go as Little Red Riding Hood. Her dress was plain and a darker shade of blue, but she wore a brown vest over it. Her apron was white instead of her usual cream colored one and was only meant to cover her waist and down. Instead of her striped knee socks, she decided to settle for plain white ones. The clerks insisted for her to keep her red shoes as it would complement the velvet red hood. The hood itself was simple, but it had gold trimmings that added elegance to the ensemble.

Ama-chan decided on being a pumpkin. She wore dark green stockings and pointed shoes. The red ribbons in her hair were replaced with light green ones and instead of the usual cherry blossom ornament, dark green pumpkin leaves stood in its place. Of course, the bells were still there. Overall, she was adorable, but there was a nagging feeling at the back of Alice's head that she couldn't quite place. "Ama-chan, why did you decide to go as a pumpkin?"

The girl's eyes glinted mischievously. A small smile crept onto her face. "Hehe, you'll see Alice-nee…you'll see." And just like that the Gardener's scheming demeanor reverted back into her innocent state. "But I want to get another costume as well! Can I get this fox one too?" She pointed excitedly to a small one-piece orange fox cub costume. The ears were attached to a hood, and the paws were rather large. The tail was stiff; it most likely held a wire within it so that it wouldn't sag. There was also a snout that came along with it.

"Um, sure?"

* * *

><p>"Onee-san!" Dee greeted.<p>

"You came!" Dum greeted. The two were dressed as pirates. Dee of course had a blue and white striped shirt while Dum wore a red and white striped one. Dum's eye patch covered his left eye and Dee's own covered his right. Instead of their usual scythes, they held pirate swords, but the blades were every bit as real. No doubt it came from their collection. As the Bloody Twins were about to rush forward to give their onee-san a hug, they stopped when they saw the pumpkin next to her. They blinked a moment and grinned simultaneously. They spoke in unison. "Shorty!"

"Tweedles!" Amaranta grinned back. The twins ran to her and ruffled her already messy hair, which was now a reddish brown color. Alice smiled at them.

"You three seem close."

"Mm! We were about Ama-chan's age five years ago," Dum started.

"But she was shorter than us at that time." Dee snickered.

"Hey!"

"She's even shorter now! Ahahaha!" the twins laughed together. The little girl was pouting and fuming right now.

"At least I'm not old!" she protested.

Both twins patted her on the shoulder. "But you're still too short."

Alice decided to change the subject. "So you three were childhood playmates?" All three perked up, their one-sided bickering already forgotten.

"Yeah!" they all agreed.

"Ne, onee-san, did you know that the best place to get the poison for our treasures is in Ama-chan's garden?" Dee said.

"Yeah! But because she's been sleeping, we had to find other poisonous plants and mushrooms elsewhere," Dum whined.

"Yup! My plants are the best!" Amaranta nodded proudly…or it could very well have been vanity. Alice tensed up a bit. _"Poison?"_ Sensing their onee-san's discomfort, the three children reassured her. "I have the herbs for it onee-sama! So d-don't worry about it."

"Yeah! If the ones we used the poison on managed to survive," Dum began.

"They'd head off to get healed by Ama-chan!" Dee finished for his twin. The three huddled together in a straight line and gave the older girl a thumbs-up each and wore reassuring grins.

"Everything's under control." They chorused. Before Alice could scold them any further, Elliot and Blood came into view.

"Alice is here!" Elliot, the right hand man of the Hatter mafia boss, ran towards the foreigner, but stopped short in his tracks. "Huh? Great, the brat twins have their playmate from hell again. " Elliot groaned. He was wrapped up in bandages, most likely dressing up as a mummy. "If I'm lucky, they probably found another victim to play with." Meanwhile, Blood stood next to him wearing a vampire king costume. He looked rather dashing, but still just as intimidating. He went up to Alice and fingered a strand of her hair.

"Hello there, Little Red. Off to granny's house? Or would you like to make a quick detour?" Blood asked in a seductive tone. He didn't seem to notice a little walking pumpkin creeping closer to his leg. He felt a small tug on his cloak.

"Bloody-san!" Amaranta chirped. "Look! I'm a pumpkin!" Blood tensed as he slowly turned his head to the orange clad girl below him. His face turned a little blue.

"My oh my, little gardener. Don't you look…orange." Alice had completely forgotten that Blood never really liked the color orange. She wasn't quite sure if he was scared of the color, but it was certain that he was uncomfortable with it.

"My oh my, Mr. Vampire. Don't you look a little blue." And once again, her mischievous glint was back. "Don't worry! If my costume bothers you, I can change into my other one!"

"Please do so." Blood said, rather too quickly. "You may use one of the rooms within my manor. Once you're finished, head to the back garden. The maids will assist you." Blood straightened up his cloak and reverted back to his normal self. He turned to Alice and decided to forget about the orange monstrosity next to him. He put on his trademark smirk and held out his hand in a gentleman-like manner. "Shall we go, Ms. Alice? Don't worry, I won't bite." The tip of his fake fangs was showing as he smirked. Alice wasn't sure whether to be flustered or a bit intimidated. But, not wanting to be rude, she took his hand and allowed him to guide her to the back garden. Elliot and the twins were in a heated argument, but stopped once they saw their boss heading off to the party.

* * *

><p>As expected, all the Roleholders―minus the Jokers―were gathered in the back. "<em>Vivaldi hosted the gathering last time, so it must be Blood's turn." <em>Alice smiled as she looked at all of her friends. Vivaldi was still dressed in her gown and tiara. "We do not see the need to dress up as anything else. We are already a queen. It is already fitting, is it not?"

Peter, instead of his usual red garments, donned a black tuxedo and a magician hat. However, he was in his rabbit form. His plan was to get Alice to hold him. Unsurprisingly, it worked. It was a bit odd, yet every bit as amusing. _"I've heard of magicians pulling rabbits out of hats, but never of rabbits pulling out magicians. I suppose the only way for it to make sense is if the magician _is _a rabbit." _She smiled and hugged Peter more tightly. The albino was thoroughly enjoying himself, while the other males glared at him. Ace was dressed up as the Grim Reaper, with the customary scythe in place of his usual sword.

Nightmare had covered both his skin and clothing in some sort of powder to make him appear more ghostly. He'd told Alice that he would've worn a white bed sheet with eye holes in it (no doubt to stay warm, as well), but the servants managed to convince him to at least _try_ and look a bit frightening. Gray had gone as a lizard man. Like Blood, he too had fangs, but his skin looked a bit greenish (from paint) and there were a few scales here and there. There was also a tail attached at the back. Julius went as a zombie. His skin was painted a light blue to look more corpse-like, and there were drawings of scars, stitches, and cuts. Nightmare joked that it was fitting of him, what with the sleepless nights and how he constantly worked fixing clock after clock. Alice noticed that all three hadn't changed their usual attire.

Boris joined the twins and was dressed up as a pirate. Only instead, he wore a captain's hat and had a white shirt with the chest area opened up. He refused to wear the frilly shirt. He wore brown pants and black boots, but kept his chains and gun. His usual pink boa was now black with gray stripes. "Why use a sword when you have a gun? Besides, I'm a pirate, so I can use any weapon I want." He turned to the twins. "Dee! Dum! We're off to pillage a wizard!" He shouted as he pointed his gun at Pierce, who was indeed clad in wizard robes.

"Aye, Captain!" They saluted. As they chased the dormouse turned wizard, Alice could hear the occasional _'Not so fast you scurvy mouse!'_

When Alice met with Gowland, he was dressed up as a werewolf, with the usual fangs, ears, and tail, but his face was made to look a bit hairier. "I planned to go as a famous classical violinist." Both Alice and Peter, who was still held in her arms, winced at the idea. "But once I heard the Hatter was going as a vampire, I just had to go as a werewolf. Werewolves are the only creatures that can kill a vampire, you know." Gowland nodded proudly.

"Yes. We should all cringe in fear. Mary the Werewolf is heading our way." Blood said as he calmly sipped his tea.

"Dupre…" Mar―_Gowland_ seethed as he grinded his teeth. Alice clutched Peter protectively, and started backing away from the two.

"Did Mary the Werewolf eat her little lamb?" Blood smirked as he started humming _'Mary had a Little Lamb'_. Alice decided to leave the two to their little squabble. It was at that moment that Amaranta came out in her new costume.

"RAWR!" She shouted as she jumped in front of Alice and Peter. Peter looked indifferent.

"Is that supposed to scare me?" he deadpanned as he raised an eyebrow.

"Huh? But I thought rabbits, doggies, cats and mice were scared of foxes," She asked as she tilted her head. Alice blushed and couldn't stop smiling. Vivaldi saw the girl, but continued to sip her tea. If you looked carefully at the monarch's face, pink dusted her cheeks. The adults turned to look at her. Gray had a small smile on his face and continued to stare at the girl. Blood turned a little blue once again, but it went unnoticed by the others. Boris, Elliot, and Pierce had amused expressions on their faces. Then the four Roleholders with animal attributes chorused together.

"But you're not a real fox."

Ama-chan pouted in a defeated manner and sat herself next to Vivaldi, soon stuffing her face with chocolate cake. Gray, who was also next to her, patted her head gently.

* * *

><p><strong>Yay! I managed to do this chapter! However, I plan to make an extra chapter that tells what happened <strong>_**during**_** the tea party. I didn't want to do it on this one because the chapter seemed long enough. Next is the Clover Tower! **


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